Rudder-control mechanism



Nov. 29, l27.

r" E. G. MCCULEY RUDDER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Aug. v, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Y P l l l 1 l l.

Nov. 29, 1927.

E. G. McCAULEY RUDDER CONTROL MBGHANISM 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Aug. 7,. 192s utente Nov. 29, 1927. i

y Emmere;Maennnnvg'onlnevrernifonrdz einer sufra j r Runnnnfoonmot Meenemen:

Amincanm iuedviaugusev, "1e-2e.; snat, ,No.gewnvo. i

This invention .relates to; aircraftrudder controls.I

lt has been found inaetual practicethelt it is a great relief to the pilot or operatorof 5 an aircraft to provide ineens for `locking ,the rudder bar against movement" atten ityhas been adjusted by foot-pressuretofhold said rudder or other controlw'surface of the craft at the proper dying' angleyto-Inaintaimtlie craft one substantially straight,course..` The object of -thepresent 'invention vis to provide' in conjunction Witlrsuclnrudder bar,` means operubleby either l one or -4 both `feet of `the operator to releasethe ruddenbaiz. l5 Under the arrangement lieremshown and described, the `operator may'rrelease ordmloek the rudder bar withv either foot anch either yby a fpushing or pulling action. 1 It isa ,further object-to provide, a lockwv-hic-h Lisfimmedi- --etely operative after they-rudder `ban has been moved in one directionso. aste'E p11/eventueverse movement bythegpress-ure of,tl1e air on the rudder. Anotheriobjectislto ,provide e,` lock of this charactersonthat thelrudder barris released for movement; iny'the desired direction only when one foctis usedgto'oo crate the, bar.` Aifurtlier advantagegcf the constructionI is t that in; iatraining-nnecliinef L Where the `pilot and.` studentuare seatedA side i -by iside, f either or` )both :of suoli g personsmmay operate the i rudder ban i Withffthe` .aid joli `one ootfonly. i v

t Another object ofthe.inventionstopivovide means Wherebyin case of.tl1ei,loc lring der, 'the operator' fmagy instantlyl ,throw falli of such mechanism out offoperation,leevingthe rudder fbar absolutely reeftmbe ,foperated in .1

Fight Vistil plany vientv @tia rudderbar shovvinga modified form i of locking and unlock- Iine; inea-11s.y

5 vl fl f A Y The rudder; ,berLE ieecentlrfally moulnped ufionn substantialljverticalbinor pivot 11 and isfsupported Vupona 'suitable' stationary base 121.ordinarilv secured Sto the :floor of the fuselage of an airplane., it the opposite extremitiesvof Ithefrudder bei` 10 areiittings 13 having. holes M therein for the attach-V `ment of 'tlifel; controloA4 cables (not shown) which extend im the rudder lo be @One-'oued JChe.rudder bark i c o `The means for locking the rudder berlin miY affixed positionicomprises a normallyV7 fstftio'nary clutchzme'mber 15 'shown inthe forni offa disk havingjn: one embodiment of the invention teeth` 16 around Y the f periphery thereof. Arranged at opposite sides of the "stationary clutch member. l5 are movable e clutchlmembers 17 `liaving1teeth`l8 to engage theteeth' lfof 'the clutch'member 15.` The 'movable clutchl members 17 are Apivotally mounted on pins or bolts l9projectingi'rom andsecuredtol'the rudder ba-r 10iA The movableclutch members; 17h are .normally held inclutchinggposition. as shown y'in ligi,y l *by 1neans..o'f @contractile spring QOterIninally attached tog ,projecting portions -21 of Yseid clutchmembers.- Y

- Tliefmezinsdor unlcking,thefrudder bar v comprises apair .of foot (levers 22 Which'nre fulcrumeduipon and adapted 'to turn about acommon axisformedbytlie center pinfll.` n VEach Alever,Qllisiconnected a pivot *24gv t to onebf the rmovable clutch "membersl? and Afor fthat purpose cachot said levers is provided vvithan; eXtendedijgortion 25' which projectsbeyond or tdthefopposte 'sidelfof ,i ylever 22 may have pivotal connection with the `"nnivfable :clutch member.` 17' adjacent "the end 25. ofthe same.: This is done` in order i thatvvhen-foot .pressune isbrought' to bear against eitherone .of the [levers22fthe oppo# Y site. movable clutch member 17 is disengeged `i'r'ointli'e lstationery, clutch member 15; ythe y adjacent clutch. member not being moved.

The .rudder bar vl() isthelffree t0k l0"e turned "about `the center` pin l1` for thelp` r' adjllstiligftllnangle Oftliefruddelnoo I leVeIS Youter ends pedal plates QG'vvhichare't'ormed was shovviiin Figui to bear Slidably `{upon-the POS@ 0f:

rudderbar .lQQEich 'pedalyals'o comprises a :bottom plate ,-QTWliich4k entende under 'the rudder bar andisformed 'with a guide slot `110 Y therudder bar, lOfwby suitable fastening Q8v iniwhich; is a guide' roller 29 Secured fto In addition "to the means above described for releasing the clutch means by foot pressure, I also provide means for releasing the clutch mechanism byr Ya pulling action exerted by the operators foot or feet. In

carrying out this part vof the invention I employ stirrups 31 connected to brackets. 32

on the rudder bar byl means of pivots 33. Each stirrup has a ownwardly extending arm 34j .which is adapted `to press against a motion transmitting lever `35 mounted under the rudder bar on theV loiver end of the vpivotV bolt 19. The other end of the lever 3551s connected to the adjacent pinv 24 which couples the respective movable clutch member 17 to the foot 'lever 22 at that side of the center of movement of the rudder bar.

' kexerts a pulling action .by av rearward vside, vclutch member 15 to instantly arrest reverse right/v` clutch e iotation in' a clockwise direction of the rudder bar is permitted. v prevented by the left clutch member 17. Exactly the same action takes placewvhen the right stirrup 31 is operated byrpulling Each lever 35 is also pivotally mounted on ythe iixedpivotl). The lever 35 isin effect anfintegral extension of the adjacent mov able clutch member 17 since both are pivoted on fixed pivot 19 and connected to the pin 24 of the foot lever 22. IVhen the operator on one stirrupBl, movement of the foot, motion is transmitted through the lever 35 to theadjacent movable clutch member 17 so as to permit the rudder bar to be operated in the one direction it is pulled, the clutch member 17 which is remote from the pulled however, remaining engaged with lined movement of the rudder bar when the pull on the stirrup is released. The movable clutch member which remains engaged, will permit free movement ofthe rudder bar, in the desired direction, the spring'20 yieldingto permit this action but maintaining the 'clutch member in engagement or ready for Vinstant engagement to prevent reverse movements. Y Y

If the vleft foot lever for example in Fig. 1 pressedbythe foot of the operator the member 17 Reverse rotation is upon the right foot. If both feet are pressed or pulled atthe same time, both clutch members 17 are released and free movement in "either direction permitted until the feet are removed. If the stirrup left 3l and the left pedal plate arel simultaneously pulled and pushed respectively, both clutch member-S17 are releasedA andrzmovement rpermitted in either direction.y

Itgwill nowfbe clearthat the operator'may use one orboth Ofhis-feet in lmoving the 4A'rudder'barabout its pivotal axis and also .Pulling upon stirrup- Stand simllltflleuslyy for unclutching saidv rudderA bar, sinceby fpishing upon 'the adjacentpedahplate 26 `with one foot, both clutch members' 17 are is released and 1 ed rudderfbar, a lockmg and releasing means trol ofthe rudder bar. Y This is a'valuable e feature for training purposes.

In :1n-emergency, Where, for example, any part of the clutch mechanism or controlling meanstherefor should get out of order 'or bind and' interfere with the operation of the rudder bar, the entire clutch mechanism may be thrown out of gear by the operation of an emergency foot lever 36 which controls a locking pin 37 slidable through a guide 38 in the top of the base 12 as shown in Fig. 3, and normally engaging a hole 39 in 'f the stationary clutch member 15.- It will be seen that by withdrawing the locking )in 37, the normally stationary clutch mem er 15 is rendered free and loose and therefore the rudder bar may be freely turned by the operator Without being interfered with by the clutch ymechanism and operating means therefor herein-above described;

Instead of providing the stationaryl and rangement shown in Fig. 5 may be utilized.

In said Fig. 5, 40 designates the stationary clutch-member having a smooth periphery 41 forming the clutch face of the stationary `movable clutch members `With teeth, thearmember. Likewise the movable clutch mem? bers 42 are providedwith smooth clutch faces 43 which cooperate with the clutch face 41 ofthe stationary clutch member 40.

1. In combination with a pivotally mountembodying a stationary clutch member, a

'movable clutch member on each side thereof to cooperate therewith4 mounted' on the llt) rudder'bar, and a footlever on each side of the rudder bar, eachv of which has a pivotal connection with the opposite ymovable clutch member.

2. In combination witha pivotally mountembodying a stationary clutch member, movable clutch kmembers to cooperate there- .with mounted onthe rudderbar, andfoot levers movable about a singleffixed'axis and keach. of which is adapted, to'release imoyable clutch member. v

3. In combination with a `pivotally*mounted rudder bar, locking and releasing means embodying a stationary" clutch member, movable clutch members tov cooperatethe'rewith, vfoot-operated 'push 'levers' each of ed rudder bar, locking and releasing means' Which is Connected to release one .of said movable clutch members and vfoot-operated 4e. ln Combination with a pivotally mount.` ed rudder bar, locking and releasing means embodying a stationary Clutch member,

movable clutch members to cooperate there# with, foot-operated push levers each of Which is adapted to release one of said movable clutch members, footnoperatedpull stirrups pivoted on said bar and each `adapted vto release one of said movable Clutch members, said push levers and s aid pull stil-'rups being arranged in pairs so that'a pulling `eliort on said stirrups causes Va pushing etorton the push levers. f 1

5. In combination With a pivotally mounted rubberv bar, looking and releasing means embodying a stationary clutch member, movable clutch members to cooperate therewith mounted one on each side of the rudder bar, a pedal member on each side oi" the rudder bar, a foot lever 'l'or each pedal member, each of said pedal members l,being oonneeted to the opposite movable ber by one of said foot levers.

6. In combination With a pivotallymounted rudder bar, looking and releasing means embodying a stationary clutch member,

movable clutch members to cooperate there- Vwith mounted one on each side of the rudder bar, a pedal member on eaoh side of the rudder bar, a foot lever for* each pedal member mounted on the pivotal axis of said rudder bar, each of said pedal member being connected to the opposite movable clutch eluteh mem-` memberby one of said foot` levers. and yieldmg' means inter-connecting said movable clutch members.

L7. `In combination With ed rudder bar,- looking and releasing means embodying a normally stationary )clutch member, means for ,looking and unlocking said normally vstationary clutch member, a movable clutch member `to cooperate there- With `mounted on therudder bar, and a foot a pivotally mountlever which is adapted to release said nor-- i imally stationary clutch member.` A t i 8. In combination With a pivota-llyA mounted rudder'bar, locking and releasing means therefor, embodying a stationary clutch member, a movable clutch member to oooperate `therewith mounted on said rudder baigfa stirrup adapted `to-'be pulled by the operators foot to operate therudder bar and a deviceoperably connected to said stirrup to be moved thereby to release said movable 'clutch member. l p

- 9. In combination with a pivotally mounted rudder bar, looking and releasing means therefor embodying a stationary clutch member, aV plurality of movable clutch meme bers to cooperate therewith mounted on said rudder bar,` a stirrup for each movable clutch member movablymounted on said rudder bar and adapted to be pulled by the 0perators feet to operate the rudder bar and a device operably connected to each said stirrup to be moved thereby to release its respeotive movable Clutch member.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

ERNEST G. MGCAULEY. 

